The Gambler
by Suhwa
Summary: The Gambler is the only one who knows his cards, but not even he knows where the dice will fall. Lee Ha-Yeon is basically thrown into the Kingdom of Spades to kill the King, ordered by the Queen of Hearts. She must venture through the land, dance, sing, wash dishes, and fall prey to an unsuspecting King. Cardverse, rating may change. I own nothing. SKfem, rated M for safety.
1. The Game has Begun

_All her life, she has seen all the meanest sides of me, they took away the prophet's dream for a profit on the street._

-The Script, Superhero-

"You are excused." Ha Yeon sat kneeling before the cold throne room. "But-" The Kingdom of Hearts was a place of mystery, ruled by King Ludwig, Queen Kiku, and Jack Feliciano. She was in the presence of the Queen, and as the man's eyes roved over her, Ha Yeon stood. "You _promised_ , Kiku!"

Kiku glared at her, as if she was dust, as if she was a dead rat he had to clean. "Do you still believe in promises? Now, be a good servant and leave." "I wish to see my brother." Her voice started to shake. "You can see him _after_ your deed is done. As you can see, I am a very busy man, and I have not got all day." Ha Yeon bit her lower lip. "It is really a simple task-kill the man, and Ha Eung will be restored to you. I can promise you that." Kiku smiled, a cold smile made of iron.

"You want _me_ to go to the Kingdom of Spades and kill the _King._ You want _me_ to betray the trust of _our_ brother, the Jack. What do you think I am?" It was done. She had lost her temper. "Well, it cannot be difficult for you. As you see, _our dear brother_ is on a similar errand with you. That is why you cannot see him." The Queen stood from his chair.

"Where have you sent him?" "The Kingdom of Clovers." The girl felt dizzy. "The Kingdom of _Clovers_? The King is insane!" "If you finish your errand, your brother will be spared of his. Now, be a good Ace and run along." Ha Yeon walked out of the throne room, wiping her tears.

Once upon a time, Lee Ha Yeon belonged in a family consisted of six. Wang Yao, Kiku Honda, Wang Mei, Lee Ha Eung, Wang Leon. Her five siblings quarreled, fought, yelled, said they hated each other, but loved each other. It was a happy, affluent household in the Kingdom of Hearts.

Then her older brother Yao started acting...queer. The once powerful man lost everything, and was even forced to give his brother, Leon away as a ward to the Queen of Spades. And Kiku edged away from the family more and more, until he became Queen of Hearts. Kiku took Ha Yeon and Ha Eung away, along with Mei in combat, leaving Yao to rot.

Yao? It was rumored that the proud man had left the Kingdom that was no longer his safehaven, and had ventured to the Kingdom of Spades. He was now Jack of Spades. What became of her, Ha Eung and Mei? Mei was sister to the Queen and lived a comfortable life in the court. For the twins it was a totally different story. They had _refused_ to see Kiku as their older brother, had asked for Yao, but Kiku had refused, saying they were _useful._

How useful they were, the twins who killed for sport, the assassins, the thieves, the brother and sister of the cold queen. And now _she_ was going to the dreaded Kingdom of Spades to ask Yao for shelter and _kill_ the King. How easy. "Hey." Ha Yeon turned. It was the Jack of Hearts, Feliciano. "I heard about..." "Why didn't you stop him?" "I'm sorry." Ha Yeon glared at Feliciano, who quailed under her look. "You should have stopped him, my brother-" "What is going on in here?" A cold voice, a stern voice made both of them turn. Ludwig.

The King stood there, accompanied by the Joker, Gilbert. "I thought you would have been off, _Ace_." Gilbert taunted her. "I was going to be off." Ha Yeon clutched her knife. How much she wanted to drive it into the King and the Jack, she didn't know. "Ace." Ludwig ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, sir." "Be good and finish this for us."

At that point Feliciano ran toward the man and embraced him. "Luddy, I missed you!" _Luddy_? Ha Yeon got the hint. So, the King and Jack was in a relationship. No wonder the Queen was so sour. He would have to see them romancing while he was alone. "Not here-" "I'll be off." Ha Yeon bowed and left the couple. "Do you think she'll finish this?" "She will. She always finished her job." Ludwig was certain, as he took his lover's hand. "I have a bad feeling about this." Feliciano murmured. "Why?" "I think Kiku is going too far." "Don't worry, the Queen knows what he's doing." Ludwig didn't mention his own uncertainty.

"My lady." Ha Yeon sighed as she handed over her documents to the captain of the _Oriental Beauty_. "Here, your documents. I wish to travel quickly. And I wish to use a room alone." The captain gulped. "My lady, I don't think there are any cabins available for one person." "Well, _why_?" "Our ships only have two cabins made for one, and it was the Queen's order that they be emptied-God knows why."

Ha Yeon face-palmed. "Fine, I will use a cabin for two. Make sure that my fellow passenger is female." "Yes, my lady!" The captain gave her the number of the cabin, and she found the cabin. It was consisted of two hammocks, nothing more. _Wonderful._ _A first step in the wrong direction._ She lowered herself into the hammock, and sighed, thinking about her few possessions she had handed over to the captain before she fell asleep.

It was only an hour later when she woke up, to loud voices and footsteps. "Well, your ship is really tiny, captain!" "Sir, please-" "So, which cabin is it? 240?" It couldn't be, her cabin was 240 and the voice outside-definetly _male_. Ha Yeon gripped her dagger as the door swung open, and as light poured in, she glared at the captain and the newcomer.

"I _thought_ my companion would be _female._ " Ha Yeon growled, her voice menacing. She could be very cruel if she wanted to, and she _wanted_ to be evil. For now. "I am terribly sorry, my lady, but the other rooms were full and-" "Hey! It's a girl!" The so-called _male_ grinned, his teeth flashing. He was tall, and _loud._ He had golden hair and blue eyes, along with a pair of glasses. He seemed to be foreign, since no one was that loud in the Kingdom. "Yes, I _am_ a girl. Now please be quiet while I ask the captain to rearrange your room."

She stood from her hammock and gave the captain a long, cold glare. "I demand that you give me a female companion." "I'm sorry, my lady, but the passengers are all male. This lad seemed less rowdy and well-educated compared to the rest, so-" "Don't. Explain." Ha Yeon snarled at the man. She wanted to shout at the fool, _I am not only the Queen's sister, I am the Ace! I have urgent business, and I am tired!_ But she didn't. She wasn't Kiku. She wasn't uncivilized. "Fine." She grumbled.

"Wonderful!" The man passed the captain some splendid gold coins and practically threw himself on his hammock. "See you!" The captain sighed. "Please, try not to murder him, my lady. He is important." Ha Yeon nodded, thinking about her journey. It would be _most_ unpleasant.

Alfred Jones bounced in the hammock, grinning. He had ditched his post as King of Spades for a month, and had traveled to the Kingdom of Hearts. It hadn't been as bad as expected, and his twin and Ace, Matthew had filled for him. Only Matthew, his Queen and his Jack knew of his absence. It had been a glorious trip, sightseeing, drinking in taverns...He glanced at the other passanger. She didn't look very happy. Perhaps he could make her smile...

"Hi!" Ha Yeon glared at the man, then at his extended hand. "Yes?" "My name is Alfred Jones, and I'm-" "I'm not exactly interested in _who_ you are." She snapped at the man. _Alfred Jones_ \- the name rang a bell, but who was he? "Well, I'm the King of Spades!" The man laughed as he gave his title. "The King. The King of Spades?" She gawked at him. Alfred Jones, the King of Spades, of course. But-no, Kiku's spies had said the King was in the capital.

He had gotten the girl's attention, Alfred was sure of it! He didn't see why she was playing so hard to get, but the girl stopped making a shocked expression. " _Liar._ " The voice was sharp, and cold. "Um..." "The King of Spades? You must be joking. You don't even _have_ an escort. There was no news whatsoever about the King of Spades visiting our Kingdom. And besides, what sort of an idiot tells any random person he meets that he's the King, when there could be _assasinators_?"

' _The man you're talking to_ ' would be a rude response, and Alfred figured that this girl from the Kingdom of Hearts wouldn't be good company. He couldn't _wait_ to go home, where people actually loved and adored him, where people weren't cynical like this girl. _I can't wait to leave._

 **I did it _again!_ I am not even done with anything else and yet I'm writing cardverse! OMG...I am so dead...Yeah, I wanted to write it, but even for me this is...awkward.** **So, Ha Yeon is South Korea. Ha Eung is North, as you have guessed. And yes, they do Kiku's dirty work for him. Very good siblings. HaHa... Anyway, if you think SK doesn't act like the Canon SK, then you're right. And it will probably be like that for about four more chapters.**

 **Anyway, this story revolves mostly around the Spade Kingdom. It will sometimes focus on the Hearts and the Clovers as well, and the Diamonds will show up as well! _Adios_ , friends and lovely readers!**

 **-Xihwa** , **or Suhwa.**


	2. The First Move

_The great difference in voyages lies not with the ships, but with the people you meet on them._

 _-Amelia Burr-_

 _Day One._

Ha Yeon stopped moving her quill. The _impersonator_ was snoring in his bunk. In the name of the Lord, why did she get stuck with him?

 _Met an impersonator who claims to be King. Believes it to be a lie. What sort of King acts like that? Personally, I feel sorry for the Queen and the Jack if he really is King. Cannot wait to leave ship. The captain says it will be five days' journey. I can withstand five days with this man. I can, and I will._

She set her journal to dry, waited for about an hour, then closed it promptly. She didn't like this other passenger, and she didn't trust him. Ha Yeon was not going to sleep. But sleep came, and consumed her as it does to all living beings, and soon, she was fast asleep.

A _thunk_ woke Alfred from his sleep. He grumbled, then put his glasses on. It was the extremely rude girl. She had somehow managed to fall out of the hammock-not an easy feat to accomplish-and was on the floor of the cabin. Alfred considered himself a gentleman, a knight, and knights always helped ladies. He thought about moving her-no, she'd wake and claim he was a pervert. Alfred simply draped a blanket on the figure on the floor, then recognition hit him. He had forgotten to write his diary!

 _Dear Diary._

 _Today I met a girl who wouldn't believe I was King. She looked at me as if I was a commoner! And she totally ignored me. I mean, girls. Why can't they all be like Michelle? I'm not telling this to Yao, he's going to make fun of me like always. I can't believe I'm stuck with an unbelieving, stuck up person. But I, the Amazing King Fred can live through five days of this! Horray for me!_

When Ha Yeon awoke, she was on the floor and light streamed through the windows. _I haven't eaten anything._ Her stomach growled. The _impersonating scoundrel_ was nowhere to be seen, which was good. She needed to change. The girl pulled out a tunic and breeches, and she stealthily changed. They could say breeches were for men, but when you were traveling, skirts and dresses were a waste of time and money.

Ha Yeon threw a black cloak over her shoulders, then noticed with disdain that there was the sigil of the Royal Family of Hearts-a heart shaped badge-on the cloak. She carelessly ripped the badge off and tossed it on the hammock. At least she didn't have to _pretend_ that she liked her so-called family.

The deck was cool, the sea breeze rustling her cloak, and the wind whipping through her clothes. "Zephyrus is merciful, today." It was a man, with curly black hair. "Who are you?" Noticing her hostility, the man winked. "The name is Hercules, _dear_ princess. I am a member of the Queen's court-" "Be. Quiet." Ha Yeon hissed. "I do not want to be caught, and I do not want my identity discovered." "So, _you_ must be on a mission from the Royal Family."

Hercules lowered his voice, continuing his smile. "I, too am on a job. The Queen wants me to purchase the finest ships in the Kingdom of Spades. He has heard that their ships are sublime." Ha Yeon sighed, knowing her guess had been correct. Kiku wanted war. The Clovers would be down if Ha Eung killed the King. The Spades would be rulerless if she murdered their monarch. In the meanwhile, the Hearts would purchase more weapons, biding their time.

"Anything else?" "The Queen wanted me to visit the Kingdom, see what rumors were flying around, and _add_ to it." Of course, Kiku. She patted the man on the back. "Godspeed, may the ancients be with you." "And may they be with you as well."

It was different, being sent on a mission and hearing about the jobs that others were being sent to. What her Kingdom was doing was murderous. It had evil intent through and through, and disgusted her. _Yet you stand in the middle._ Somehow, the air didn't seem fresh, only suffocating. "I must go below deck." She nodded to Hercules and fled.

Alfred was chewing on some bread when the door opened and the girl returned. He had left to purchase some food, and when he returned, the kid had been gone. Now she was back. "Want some?" He offered the bread. "No. Do you think I want your mangy bread? Keep it." _How insulting._ "Your kingdom made it." He pointed it out, to see if loyalty would sway her.

He was wrong if he thought she would defend her land. "Our Kingdom is good for nothing." Ha Yeon tossed her locks over her shoulder. How childish. "Is that why you're leaving? For a better life?" "Kind of." Why waste her time answering? But yet here she was, replying to his question. That was when her stomach growled.

"Want some?" Alfred repeated the question. "And how am I supposed to eat?" She sure was fast at changing opinions, from saying the bread sucked to saying it was edible. It reminded him of Arthur, his Queen. Alfred grinned, then realized something.

"I don't even know what your name is!" "Not important." Ha Yeon reached for the bread. To her extreme annoyance, the man snatched the bread in mere _seconds._ "Your name!" "Just give me the bread." She was hungry, and it wasn't nice to play with food.

"If you give me your name, I'll give you the bread! It's a win-win!" The idiot smiled at her. "And why so?" "Because we are stuck here for four days! It would be better if we were friends!" The King Impersonator was clearly stupid, making _friends_ with people he barely knew.

"You don't even know me." "I can try to know you!" Alfred grinned what Arthur called his _cheeky smirk._ For what it was worth, he would befriend this person! For he was the Great King Al, and Great Kings did not fear the unknown.

Ha Yeon thawed. It wasn't like she'd ever _see_ the man again, it wouldn't hurt to tell him her name. "My name is Lee Ha Yeon." She spoke in clear, ringing tones, and promptly took his bread. "What?" The _impersonator_ \- well, _Falseking_ Fred had not heard her. "Lee. Ha. Yeon. I'm not repeating." She began to chew the honeyed bread, slowly smiling. _Delicious._

"Lee. Ha. Yeon?" Alfred spoke the name, dissecting it just as the girl had. "Yes." Lee Ha Yeon- the name reminded him of his Jack, and his Queen's ward. "Does it have a meaning?" "It does, but that's _none_ of your business." The girl-Ha Yeon had finished her bread and was now studying his shoes. She had chocolate colored eyes and porcelain skin-a trait of the Kingdom, perhaps?

"Let's play twenty questions!" _What_? She gaped at the man. "Excuse me?" "I ask you one question, you can ask me one in return. We do this for twenty times, and the one who gives in first-" "-Does whatever the other person wants him or her to do." She knew the _stupid_ game too well.

"This is a game for children, and _why_ should I play?" "You're mean!" Alfred whined. This had worked on his courtiers, his servants and his ladies-in-waiting. _Especially_ on the ladies. "I am known for being cold." The girl retorted, leaving Alfred to stay frozen in mid-whine.

"Any readons why I should play?" Ha Yeon wasn't going to admit, but she was starting to get bored herself. "Um.." _Falseking_ Fred seemed to be racking his brains. "I got it!" The man clapped his hands together, as if he were a child. "If you play, I'll give you food!" "I can buy my own food-" "The kitchens are _closed_!" Ha Yeon cursed her bad luck. She seemed to be in the wrong direction ever since she left.

"Fine." Alfred smiled, noticing Ha Yeon's face set. "But we play the Drinking Game. Not Twenty Questions." "The _Drinking Game_?" Alfred was horrified. Everyone knew what the game was comprised of. If you guessed wrong about the person drinking with you, you had to drink. It was until one person dropped.

He wasn't exactly the best drinker in town, and he had heard a _lot_ about what happened in the aftermath of games like that. The two players ended up in the same bed, or killed someone, or cried or threw up. "Can we play something-" "No." Her voice was somewhat regal, reminding him again of Yao. "Fine." Alfred knew he was playing a very dangerous game, but he consented, and so the game commenced.

It had seemed logical to her, that they play the drinking game. Whatever question he threw at her, she would say he was wrong and make him drink-until the man fell into a slumber. Now the man was out, but then the door opened and Falsefred strode in, carrying ten bottles of beer. "Shall we commence?" "Yes." It was going to be a long voyage.

 **Okay, so now I HAVE posted two chapters of this! Haha! Yay! Huzzah! Thank you all for reading this.**


	3. The Unplanned Card

_Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?_  
 _-Abraham Lincoln-_

* * *

Her head spun. Where was she? Who was she and _what_ was she doing? It was morning. She was the Ace of Hearts and an assasinator. She was in a ship with another passenger. And she had been playing the Drinking Game, which could have spilled her identity. Ha Yeon groaned. _What was I thinking?_ "Sleeping Beauty has finally risen." It was FalseKing Fred, who was munching on an apple. "You." She glared at him. "What about me?" "Tell me what happened. My mind is unclear." This was _all_ his fault. If he hadn't had the stupid idea of Twenty Questions, then she wouldn't have come up with the idea of the game.

"Well-" Alfred pondered. "We ate lunch after one question." "I remember eating lunch, you _idiot_." Ha Yeon snapped. "Geez, don't go all mean on me!" His head was throbbing, as he had only woken up an hour ago. "Fine. Tell me about _what_ happened after lunch." Okay, she was going easy on him. "After that, I asked you a lot of questions about your siblings, but you kept on telling me to drink." Yes, now she started to remember. She remembered how he had guessed she had no siblings, and how she had laughed at him for his stupidity.

"I mean, how can you have _five_ siblings? I used up five guesses for that and got wasted!" So, he knew about her siblings. She hoped that she hadn't mentioned what their jobs were. "And really, how can you have _no_ lovers?" Ha Yeon fell out of her hammock at these words. "Excuse me?" She gave him a piercing stare. "I mean, you have _no_ sort of love life whatsoever!" Alfred-she couldn't call him _Falseking Fred_ forever- laughed then stopped. "Anything else you got out of me?" "No. I guessed that you ran away from home and you laughed at me. I guessed that you had trouble with your fiance and you even snorted." Ha Yeon breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good. And what did I ask of you?" "My job." Alfred snickered at her. "You used up _ten_ questions for that, and I _told_ you. I don't have a job except King." So, he was still keeping up that nonsense. "How long are you going to keep up that lie?" "You seriously don't believe me?" The man looked sad, and unhappy. "Yes, who would, Alfred?" Ha Yeon picked at the laces of her shoes, sitting back in the hammock. "Well, you're at least calling me Alfred." Alfred stared out the window of the ship.

"Fine, what did you get out of me?" "Nothing much, I asked a lot, but you only laughed at me." He could clearly recall his every question, and how the girl had snickered at him.

* * *

 _"Your brother is a nobleman, and you ran away because he forced you to marry!" It was his best guess, he had even heard stories like this a lot. This was his sixth guess, and his voice was starting to slur. "No, idiot. My brother would not even consider me worthy of marriage." The answer, that had been between laughter, seemed to sting his new friend even as she spoke._

 _"Wrong guess again?" He groaned as he drank out of his glass. His head was starting to spin, and he seriously wished it was Arthur sitting here, not him with his low level of alcohol consumption. "Y-E-S!" "It's your turn, princess~" Ha Yeon's face suddenly paled, the color of parchment. "What did you say?" "It's your turn." "Oh." The girl softened visibly. Perhaps she didn't like royalty._

 _"You are a merchant's son, and you're pretending to be King because you have nothing better to do." "Wrong." Ha Yeon drank out of her glass, giving him a dirty look. "I don't believe your King talk for one bit." "Then you'll keep on drinking." That earned him the ultimate evil look to end all evil looks._

 _"_ _Okay, my turn. You're leaving home because you've been sold to a guy you don't like?" "Drink." It was like an evil curse word to him, the never ending word. "Bollocks." Why did the girl leave anyway? "Why did you leave?" The drink was slowly taking effect, and his speech was slurring. "You might find out. If you're actually true to your word." She was talking in riddles, this one._

 _"You're a general." Ha Yeon looked proud of herself at this guess. "Sorry, but you're wrong." "How much do I have to drink?" "Perhaps you should stop asking me if I'm anything but King." "Never." And so it had continued._

 _Time passed, and the occupants of the cabin were very drunk. Oblivious to anything, even the setting sun. Now it wasn't even the Drinking Game, it was Drink Party Time minus the music, minus the flirting. "I-hic! hate-my life-hic!" Alfred laughed at nothing in particular, as he downed his twentieth glass. "You-haven't-got any blithering idea h-how w-worse it can get!" Ha Yeon giggled as she toyed with her cup, and the glass fell to the floor._

 _"Whoopsie." They both laughed. "So, why do you hate your life?" Alfred asked her casually, and the girl suddenly stopped smiling. They way the smile suddenly disappeared was even scary. "Oh, it's complicated." "C-come on, y-you can tell me!" "I'm not telling a liar!" The smile returned in lightning speed. "Oh, come on!" "No thanks."_

* * *

And that was when his memory had cut. When he had awoken to the sight of drunken destruction, there had been bottles all over the floor, piling the table, his shoes on the floor, his glasses hanging on a peg, and a keg filled with someone's vomit. He had gotten rid of the vomit-it couldn't be his, throwing up was unheroic. His shirt was lying on the floor, stained with drink and something he didn't want to recall. At least his pants were still on.

"Oh, god." Ha Yeon looked horrified. "What, your memory returned?" "I threw up on you." That explained his shirt. "It's okay, we make accidents in life." The girl looked skeptical. "And you threw up in a bucket." So, he had been cleaning his own waste. "Well, we totally ruined it. The Captain's not going to be happy-" "The captain, if you really are important, will _keep his mouth shut._ " She sounded irritated, just as the first day they had met, and yet, she was different in more ways than one, as Alfred could note.

Ha Yeon stood, picking up the bottles one by one. "Aren't you going to help me clean, Alfred?" Okay, they had begun _something,_ and something was better than nothing. "Yes, don't fret." He stood as well, and took the bottles, loading them in a sack. "It's going to take a while." "It is." "At least I found a friend." He winked at her, but the girl frowned suddenly. "I'm not your friend." "But-" "I have no friends, and if you are who you claim to be, Alfred, so do you."

Did she have to make things so awkward? It seemed to be a Heart Kingdom trait, but who was Alfred to talk-he merely smiled, he still had two more days.

* * *

"Take this traitor out." Kiku glared at the man standing below his throne. "But brother-" "He's a traitor. He should die." Mei gulped as she fanned herself, and the man was dragged out. "What do you think little sister is doing?" It was a question thrown at him, so suddenly that he couldn't even prepare himself. "I do not know. She has already left for the Kingdom if I am right. Her brother has always been her weakness."

Mei frowned, then spoke out. "Blood ties, and love is not weakness, Kiku." "It is, dear Mei-chan." The twins were living proof of the weakness, as they despised him, they always did his dirty work to save each other. _For what?_ Kiku could only wonder. He recalled a time when he too, belonged in a happy, large family. But ties were useless, and love was nothing.

Love was always useless. It was what had broken Yao, and it was what made Ludwig a weak King. His love of Feliciano made the man vulnerable, and that made Kiku the strongest man in the land, as he loved none. Kiku fiddled with his scepter, when a messanger came into the halls. "My Queen, we received alarming news from one of the spies." "What is it?" Kiku frowned at the messanger for stealing his precious time.

"King Alfred, or a man _claiming_ to be the King of Spades boarded the Oriental Beauty two days ago."

"The Oriental Beauty-" "Isn't that the ship Yeon departed with?" Mei gave him a worried look. "Perhaps, little sister will return earlier than expected on the very next ship." Kiku mused, sitting cross-legged on the throne. "My Queen-" "You are to tell none about what was spoken of in this room." Kiku's voice rang out in the room, and the messanger quailed before he left.

"Joker." The Joker walked into the hall, looking bored. "What, Queen?" "Make sure the man is silenced." "Of course." Gilbert smiled as he left. Kiku gave his sister a warm glance. "It is for the good of the land." "Yes, the good of the land." Mei repeated, her face forlorn.

* * *

"Wow, I never knew-" "Be quiet, I'm trying to concentrate." Ha Yeon glared at the board of chess. She had _asked_ the captain to lend them his chess board, and as a loyalist, the captain had given her the board. Now Alfred's knight was at the verge of killing her bishop, and she didn't like the situation. Not one bit. She hadn't played decent chess for a year and a half, and she couldn't believe the man's constant bugging had driven her to this.

"You're really good, Arthur's horrible at chess. But Matt's pretty good, and Yao's awesome." So, he was still playing at being King. _Let him play his acting. He is not that bad._ A voice in her head made her shiver. Not that bad? He was a liar, and an actor! She couldn't trust him at all, and yet she was playing chess with him. As if they were close. She pushed her bishop away from the knight, forcing the knight to retreat from her Queen.

"Cruel of you, to make me walk away." Alfred smirked as he moved something else-and Ha Yeon cursed. A Queen. So, he had been planning to kill her King, using his Queen. Her King was powerless. As she balled her hands into fists, something occured to her. The small pawn that hadn't moved in ages, ever since she had started this game. If the pawn died, the King would live, and her King could kill the Queen-thus allowing her to be closer to victory.

 _She couldn't move the pawn._

"What's wrong?" Alfred looked worried as she stared down at the board. "I...I can't." "You can't what?" 'I can't kill the pawn.' ' _You are all pawns in the war of Kings._ ' And yet she forcefully moved her hand, dragging the pawn. Alfred grimaced, giving her a bitter look. "Sweet Lord, now I have to kill your little pawn." He moved predictably, and the little pawn died.

It disgusted her, how the game of chess showed the real scenes of battle. The footsoldiers, the archers died in the hands of the monarchy, so that the rich and the powerful could kill the enemies, defeat the evil kingdoms. And it made her sad to know that she was no royalty, but a pawn in reality. Ha Yeon killed the Queen without mercy, and Alfred groaned. "REALLY?" "Yes."

The game ended with her win. "Again!" Alfred looked determined. "No more." "Why-" "I don't want to see real battle reflected in a game of chess." Alfred laughed at her words. "Real battle?" "The pawns are the first to die, saving the monarchs and the knights. They are the ones who die, so that they may live. And yet, who remembers them?" Ha Yeon stared at the board, at the wooden men.

"I do." The blue pair of eyes met the chocolate. "There was Allen, and there was Edward, and there was James-James who was super nice-and-" She got his point. "I understand." Alfred nodded at her. "I don't know how things work in the Kingdom of Hearts, but I remember all of them who died for my sake." Ha Yeon stood from her chair, as she gathered the pieces back where they belonged.

"You know, you would make a good king if you really are one." The words shocked him. "Excuse me?" "You'd make a good King." Ha Yeon turned to him, and there was a smile on her mouth. But her eyes looked sad, and she angrily rubbed at them. "I hope you're not king though." Alfred ignored the rest of the words. "Thanks for the compliment. Come on, the Captain will be missing his chess board." As he left the room, Ha Yeon followed, looking at the floor the whole time.

She was a fool, an idiot. She had made a mistake. The basic rules of an assassinator. One, make no ties. Two, make no friends. Without knowing, the boy had made a friend in her, even if she didn't want to admit it. _Please, god, if you exist, tell me he is no King, but an impersonator._

* * *

 **It's done, I finished Chapter Three! And since I finished Chapter Three, I can assure you proudly that Yao will be appearing in the next or next-next chapter! There's going to be Arthur as well-plus Matthew. But my dear people, I need your help, desperately. Since I'm writing about the King's court and his courtiers, I need some OCs that you have. You can write a short description in the Review thingy or you can PM me. I need courtiers desperately. Seychelles and Viet along with Macau will be used-so you need not write about them.**

 **Thank you for reading this crappy story. As a student, examinations are taking their toll on me, and as a writer I enjoy writing too much. Too many ideas, too many fics. WOW. I would love your advice, as this is only my third story, and I really need feedback as I'm not the best writer here.**

 **This is a short preview of what's going to come up on Chapter Four.**

 _"So, we are going our seperate ways, are we not?" Alfred cracked a smile on his face, while Ha Yeon could do nothing. "Yes, we are." "Do you have any place to go?" "I am going to my brother." "Good." Alfred had thought of asking her to join him, in his miserable court where the men gave him stupid pieces of advice and where the ladies fawned over him. It was a lie when he said it was good, he'd have no one to rebut him excepting Matthew and Arthur, along with Yao._

 _"Good bye, Yeon." Ha Yeon nodded, as she walked to the east side of the boat-although she'd never admit it, she watched her 'friend' descend the boat, as his hair disappeared among a sea of heads. 'Good bye, Alfred.' Her heart hardened, for she had a job to do. A disgusting job. A worthless thing. 'May the gods be just, and may we never meet again.'_

 _'For if we should ever meet, it would not be a meeting of smiles and chess, it would be a meeting of blood and tears, and you would be the victim while I the assassin.'_

 _-The Kingdom of Spades-_


	4. Homecoming

_Nothing is better than going home to family and eating good food and relaxing._

 _-Irina Shayk-_

 _Day Four_

 _Today we went on the deck to see the waves. I just stared at the waves until they made me sick with their constant movement, while Alfred fed the seagulls. I cannot understand his belief that it would help them, when they are wild creatures. Taming them is just useless. I told him that they would only be tamed, and they would never be able to return to their original state. He just laughed at me. He really doesn't get the point of nature, doesn't he? Anyway, we stared at the sunset as well. The sun is the most beautiful when we see it on the sea. It was a good day, and it was rather comfortable._

Ha Yeon had nearly finished writing her journal, and then bit her nails self-consciously. She sighed, then lifted her pen once more, making sure no one was looking at her. Alfred had left the room, going to the toilet. _'I am going to miss Alfred Jones.'_ She was never going to admit this to the man's face. It would be insane. She would rather kill the Queen of Spades, the King, and the Jack-no, not her own brother, perhaps the Ace.

"Hey! I'm back!" And there he was, bringing all the color and noise into her dark world of seclude, smiling brightly. "Oh." She dumped her journal into her bag. "What's with the journal?" "Oh, _nothing_." "Lemme see-" "There's something called privacy." It was too late, as Alfred picked her journal up with lightning speed. Ha Yeon frowned, wondering if the lad had military training. 'He's too fast for a normal person... Is he from military school?' He had started to flip through her journal, to her horror. "Stop!" She ran toward Alfred, snatching the notebook away from him. "Is it personal?" "Of course!" It would have been terrible if he had read it, he'd demand to have her executed- _why am I even falling for his pathetic King talk?_

"Anyway, I can't believe I actually stayed in the cabin with you for four days without murdering you!" Alfred chortled, as if he found this extremely funny. Ha Yeon kept her face blank. This was no laughing situation, she could have actually killed the idiot for his behavior on that first day. "Well, you're rich to talk." She dumped her journal back, this time, sitting on the bag. "Really, did you have to do that?" She nodded to the unbelieving Alfred. "Privacy is important." Alfred laughed at her, rich peals of laughter bursting to her ears. "You care so much about privacy, and I thought we were friends! Who knows how much more secrets you carry." She decided to forget about the secretive part he had brought up, and focus on his laugh. _It has been such a long time since I could enjoy laughter. I do not know when I have last heard it._

The night fell, her face dark and making the sea the color of black ink. "Good night." Alfred yawned as he lay down on his hammock. Ha Yeon did not answer him, as she had been upset at him cheating on cards. _I admit cheating is wrong, but she didn't have to win every single time!_ Yes, they had been playing Flush, with the pack of cards Alfred had bought(he had forced her to, but she had enjoyed it too!) and he had cheated.

"Are you still angry? I admit hiding the King and Ace in my sleeve was _not_ honest behavior but well, you kept winning and I wanted to win-" There was no answer. "I'm sorry! Please don't be angry at me!" He didn't like it when people were angry at him. "Um.." _"Thank you._ " It was unexpected and rather sudden. "What?" He bolted up, surely he had misheard. "Thank you." It was the same words, that would not change. Now Ha Yeon was up as well, and her eyes met his, a small smile spreading across her face.

The smile disappeared quickly, and the eyes averted, staring at the floor. "Thank you, for reminding me of what happiness felt like." Leaving him to wonder about her life, the girl lowered herself back in her bunk, and Alfred sighed. She really left him with _one_ alternative. He would have to ask the Captain about her, as he seemed to know her. He'd leave as soon as she fell asleep and implore the man to tell him about Ha Yeon. Somehow, she had managed to get him intrigued, and worried.

When Alfred opened his eyes, it was dawn. He had fallen asleep, and he inwardly cursed. He hoped Ha Yeon was not up yet-and she was not, still sleeping, blissfully unaware. He got his boots on, his jacket and cloak and left the cabin. He'd be back soon. "Ah, sir." The Captain smiled at him as he entered. "I'm surprised the young miss has not killed you yet." "Yes, we're lucky to both be alive, and not missing any body parts." Alfred walked casually towards the man, then sat down. "There is a question I ask of you, good sir." "Well, ask away, young man." "Tell me what you know of the young miss."

The Captain turned white when he gave the man the question. "Well? You seemed to know her." "You're prying into dangerous territory, sir. Please return to your cabin." Alfred smiled reassuringly, and handed the man a bag of gold. "I...I cannot accept this." The man pushed the bag away, looking horrified. "Please, sir. I am only asking out of worry, she keeps to herself, is secretive-" "That is her way of protection, sir. Please understand her, she is _trying_ to protect others, if she did not, a lot of people would be d-" "Is she important?"

The Captain sighed. "I cannot tell you much, but you seem like a persistent fellow." The man looked right, then left as if someone would be spying on him. "There is _no one_ here, captain, save for ourselves." Alfred could guess that _whoever_ was related to his inmate was a politically influential, and powerful fellow. "Promise me, good sir, that you will ensure my safety." Alfred nodded. "Go to the Kingdom of Spades after all is finished, then ask for the Dealer of the Cards in the Ally Bar. He will make sure you may live." The Dealer of Cards was the name his Ace used, and he would make sure that Matthew helped this fellow out.

"She is from a very powerful family, born out of noble blood. I remember her older brother, a man of regality, strictness, but kindness as well. The young miss at that time was...quite _different_ from the person she is now." The Captain sighed, running his hands through his hair. "She was a cheerful, outspoken lass, and she was very sweet." "That's very...different. Are you sure it's the same person?" Alfred tried to imagine Ha Yeon as a child, then failed. "Things _changed_ for her. Let me say...that life has been very cruel to her. To believe at that time that she would be betrayed and hurt like this..." As the man shook his head, Alfred couldn't help but notice the word _betrayed_.

"What happened?" "No more, sir. But I can tell you this." "What?" Alfred leaned in. "The young miss is very strong, if anyone else was forced to live her life, they would have died." He thought of a few scenarios about what could have happened to her. "Did her brother go bankrupt? Did he abandon her? Did-" "No more questions." And he was forced to leave.

Alfred opened the door without thinking much, and felt the whole impact of a shoe thrown at his face. "GET OUT!" He turned red as his eyes fell on his new friend, who had been changing. _Half-naked_."Sorry!" He jumped out, slamming the door. Terrible timing for him, really. He tried very hard not to think about her nudity, and focused instead to the disturbing news that the Captain had told her. Her brother had to be some kind of nobleman, to make the Captain worry. He knew quite a lot of nobles in that court, but he wasn't sure that any of them had sisters. The Queen had a sister, a sweet kid named Mei, but Mei was not Ha Yeon. He could see the difference between their hair curls, or overall appearance.

 _Who the heck is her brother?_ The door creaked open behind him. "I'm done." She was wearing men's attire just like always, hair in a ponytail, black cloak flowing out. "Yes, sorry." As he walked back in, the girl gave him a questioning look. "Where were you, anyway?" "Oh, just talking with the Captain about the weather." Ha Yeon just nodded, leaving the room.

"Did he ask anything?" The Captain sighed. Really, it was all too much strain for him, the unofficial Princess had a glare on her pretty face. He thought about lying, but then remembered that this girl was renowned-for doing the dirty work of the Queen. (The Queen had told him himself about the cruelty that she could commit.) "Yes, my lady. He asked me about your family-" _Wonderful._ Ha Yeon tried very hard to regain her calm demeanor. If he was no King, but just a nobleman with zero protection, and if the Queen found out there was someone prying about her, Kiku would kill this man. If he was a King, then s _he'd_ have to kill him.

"But no need to worry, my lady. I sent him back before he got an answer out of me." At these words, she relaxed. "Good. Captain, with all due respect, return my possessions I left for safekeeping." After the older man handed her her possessions, she nodded in thanks. "Captain." The man gave her a look of fear and curiosity. "Yes?" "Stay safe." She left without hearing an answer.

The sun had risen high, and the waves were sparkling with light, emerald and sapphire, the sky azure blue as the ship reached the port of the Spade Kingdom. The passengers were crowding around the deck, and Ha Yeon watched their struggle to leave the ship. They'd all leave eventually, why they were acting like this she did not know. "Silly of them, really." Alfred was chewing on a sandwich as he remarked. "True." The ship had embarked, and people were teaming out.

"So, we are going our seperate ways, are we not?" Alfred cracked a smile on his face, while Ha Yeon could do nothing. "Yes, we are." "Do you have any place to go?" "I am going to my brother." "Good." Alfred had thought of asking her to join him, in his miserable court where the men gave him stupid pieces of advice and where the ladies fawned over him. It was a lie when he said it was _good_ , he'd have no one to rebut him excepting Matthew and Arthur, along with Yao. "If you don't..." He cut himself off. He didn't want her to find out he had asked the Captain about her. "What?" "Oh, nothing." He checked his pocketwatch, seeing the time-Matthew would be waiting for him. His dear brother.

"Good bye, Yeon." Ha Yeon nodded, as she walked to the east side of the boat-although she'd never admit it, she watched her 'friend' descend the boat, as his hair disappeared among a sea of heads. 'Good bye, Alfred.' Her heart hardened, for she had a job to do. A disgusting job. A worthless thing. 'May the gods be just, and may we never meet again. For if we should ever meet, it would not be a meeting of smiles and chess, it would be a meeting of blood and tears, and you would be the victim while I the assassin.'

"He's late." Arthur grumbled, his face gruff. "Since when is he on time?" Allistor, his brother scoffed, while Alfred's own brother Matthew just looked away. "Lad, it isn't your fault Alfred's never on time." At the words of the older blond, Matthew seemed to relax. "T...Thank you. Alfred has been _difficult_." Difficult would be a kind way to put it, Arthur believed. They had thought the lad would grow up, before his coronation. Now, a year had passed, and there was no development. Alfred had run away a few months ago, only leaving a _note_. Matthew had to _pretend_ to be King, taking the twin's place for the entire term.

"Mattie!" A familar voice called the Ace's name out loud and clear, making them all turn. It was Alfred, giddy, cheerful and bright. Well, nobody cared about Alfred's happiness for now. Arthur clapped a hand over the King's mouth, and Allistor dragged the tall lad off before he could cause any more noise, shipping Alfred into the coach. "The Palace of Spades." The coachman bowed deeply, then cracked his whip.

"Where's Yao?" The first thing Alfred asked of Arthur sent the Queen into fury. " _Where's Yao_?" The Jack, after the King had left, had overworked himself into exhaustion, saying _someone_ had to do the paperwork. As a result, the man was now taking a well-deserved break. "Yes, where is he?" "He's on break." Matthew explained, but Arthur cut in. "-Because _someone_ thought it was _okay_ to leave the Kingdom for his own joy and comfort!" Alfred cringed at Arthur's facial expression but Arthur wasn't done with him. "You're a bloody _King_ , act like one! Why do I, or Matthew or Yao have to clean up the shit you leave?" "I'm sorry, I notified you-" "If you _think_ leaving behind a _piece of paper_ can justify your _pathetic_ behavior then you're sadly mistaken!"

"I'm really sorry-" "I'm not taking your blithering _I'm sorry_ s! You never change, you always play, you-" Matthew had to restrain Arthur, pushing the man down in the moving carriage. "Thanks, Mattie!" Alfred sighed in relief, but Matthew gave his twin a look that meant nothing good. "Look, Mattie, you can't be mad at me, too?" The quiet twin rearranged his own curl as he spoke. "I'll determine whether or not to get angry at you, after we go to the palace." The King looked ashamed for a second, but the glint returned to his eyes. "By the way, Mattie, Artie, Al, do you know any aristocrats in the Kingdom of Hearts with female siblings?" "If you want to talk about _marriage_ at this point, Alfred, I am going to _murder_ you." "N...No!" Matthew inwardly sighed, massaging his head. It really seemed like his brother was back. _Good-bye, peace and quiet._ But even as he thought these words, a smile tugged at his lips.

"Excuse me, but where is the house of the Jack?" Ha Yeon asked for the thirtieth time that day, her face imploring. Some people had thought she was a prostitute, others thought she was crazy, and most said to her that it was none of her business. _So far, so bad._ She needed to find Yao before day became night, the city at night was a very dangerous place. The passerby smiled at her, his face kind. "I'm sorry, miss, but I don't know the Jack myself." "Oh." Perhaps her attire was the problem. Only the commonfolk dressed like males here. Just when she was thinking about going into a shop for a dress, she heard a familiar voice. "So, I heard from someone that the Queen is flirting with the King of Diamonds, and I was really shocked, but well-"

It was _Xiang._ Her younger brother, with his enormously thick eyebrows. He had grown into a fine lad, and was talking with a boy with silvery hair who was holding an exotic bird. She wanted to go and give him a hug, tell him she had missed him for ages, cry, laugh, sing...But somehow she couldn't. Some part of her didn't want him, Xiang, who was dressed richly, who spoke so calmly, to see her in this state, with her boyish clothes, her knives and scars. She continued to just listen to his conversation.

"Anyway, Yao wants to get a new servant. A maid, perhaps, from the Kingdom of Hearts." _A maid?_ Ha Yeon paused thinking about Xiang's words. "Well, I thought your brother was fine with his butler and male servants. Why someone female? Now of all times?" Xiang's friend seemed genuinely curious. "He's never gotten over losing Mei and the twins. Especially Lee _jiejie,_ he was so proud of her and everything. He wants a maid who can remind him of her, he says he's going to provide everything, from shelter to marriage-he really misses Ha Yeon and Ha Eung." "What about Mei?" "Oh, Mei." Xiang chortled at the word. "Well, Mei's liked Kiku ever since they were little, and it's obvious who she would have chosen between Yao and Kiku."

Her brother smiled at his companion, then turned abruptly. "Come, I need to find a maid for _gege_." An idea hit her, and Ha Yeon ran towards her brother. "Excuse me, sir!" Xiang, with curiosity in his eyes, looked back. His golden eyes were blank as he stared at her. "Yes, miss?" _He doesn't recognize me, he thinks I'm someone else._ It hurt to know she had changed. "I did not mean to overhear, but is it true that you are looking for a maid?" She gave Xiang a sweet smile, hoping, hoping against hope.

Something about this strange girl wearing men's clothes, something was disturbing. She reminded him of a memory far far away. ' _Xiang, come and catch me! I'm just here!'_ Xiang's head started to ring, just as it had when he had been forced to come to this strange kingdom. "My family is in distress, and I wish to seek for a new life in this Kingdom. I can do anything asked of me." Xiang studied the stranger from head to toe. Her cloak was made of fine material, but her clothes were ordinary. Overall, she was very pretty, but there was something disturbing about her.

"Do I know you?" The girl's eyes shook violently at his words. "Perhaps we have met in a life before this one." He _knew_ her, just where was she from? "Well, didn't she just ask you about the job?" Emil, his friend tapped him on the shoulder. "It is not for me, it is for my older brother, the Jack of the Kingdom. He wishes for a maid." He stared at the girl, speaking every word clearly. "The job is not taken, but I am not sure if you will meet his qualifications." "Could you please take me to him? I assure you, I can do a good job."

The need, the want in the brown eyes told him that for some reason this girl desperately wanted this job. He nodded, dumbly, then motioned for Emil. "Get a carriage for us." "Why?" "Older brother might get his maid." The girl's eyes sparkled dangerously, and before Xiang knew it, the girl was hugging him, drawing him close. "Thank you, kind sir. I cannot express my fullest gratitude-" "Get off, I'm not fond of physical contact." But as he got into the carriage, the stranger next to him, he realized that he wouldn't mind her.

Ha Yeon gazed at the grand estate she was standing in. The grounds were sprawled around, luxuriously, the flag of the King flew everywhere in every window, the walk was paved clean, and a luxurious marble fountain was at the center of it all. "Well, aren't you coming?" At the sound of her brother's exasperated voice, she ran towards him. "Yes, sir." "I'll get you an audience with my brother. The rest is up to you." She smiled at Xiang, and then guilt hit her. _You're just using your siblings._ Ha Yeon wanted to throw up, as she walked down the halls. All of the portraits, the armor, they all signified how hard her brother had worked to climb the social ladder. And she was going to turn this into nothing.

"Please wait in here."As he led the girl into a guest room, Xiang wondered about Yao's reaction to this whole thing. He walked upstairs to his brother's study, and knocked. "Come in." At Yao's cool voice, Xiang walked in, bowing. "Older brother, about the maid-" "Yes, what?" "There is a girl wishing to apply for the thing." "You know, perhaps I was too inconsiderate about the whole thing." Yao's voice was filled with worry. "Why?" "It could be a spy, or an assassin. I could be digging my own grave." Xiang knew his older brother was talking sense, but then-"She is waiting for you downstairs. Just give her a simple interview and let her go." "Fine." Grumbling, his brother stood.

As Ha Yeon studied the portraits in the room, her breath caught in her chest. One particular drawing was of a girl. A girl with raven-black hair, and chocolate eyes, holding a riding crop, a smile on her face, wearing a dress the color of the sunset. "Magnificent, isn't it?" She nearly jumped. _Yao_. Her brother was tall, he had always been tall, but he seemed tired, less imposing. "That's my sister, Ha Yeon. She's the Princess of Hearts. Although Kiku never talks of her." He sounded miserable. "He never got along with her, and yet he took her."

Ha Yeon could only nod as her oldest brother talked of her. "She was such a sweet child. And when I hear about her from my resources, she's cold, miserable, and cruel. That was never my sister. This is _not_ her." She wanted to talk back, about what Kiku had made her do, made Ha Eung do, but she just kept her mouth shut. "Her brother is worse. He...He murders in cold blood. They say he drinks blood-" " _He does not!_ " What made her say that, she didn't know. " _What?_ " Yao's voice was sharp but she went on.

"Ha Eung threw up after his first murder. Kiku held a _knife_ to my throat and forced him to kill the Earl, and he _cried_ afterwards. He still has wounds on his back and lacerations on his wrists. He wanted to die, but he _couldn't_ , I stopped him!" Yao's eyes turned wide. "Please, if even _you_ believe this nonsense about us being merciless killers _without_ remorse, then who can _we_ lean on?" It only occured to her that she had been ranting after her words afterwards. "You." Yao grabbed her by the shoulders, his face worried, shocked, but hopeful. " _Oppa_." Ha Yeon half-whispered, her eyes filling up. Her oldest brother, the one who sang her songs, told her stories, brushed her hair and told her about court, who wiped her tears, and who had to give them up.

"No." His words were firm, and his body shook, his hands dropping. The girl standing in front of him was pretty, yes, sounded like his sister, true, but also sounded like she was on the verge of death itself. He didn't _want_ to believe the rumors about the twins being Kiku's pawns, he didn't _like_ to think they were mistreated, but here this girl was, her eyes filled with terror and sadness, and her speech about his younger brother assassinating the noblemen...

"Tell me you are not my sister." The girl gulped, her eyes teary. "Tell me that your speech about Ha Eung is false, that the rumors are lies, that Kiku loves them and cares for them! Tell me my sister lives a life of _comfort_ , and that she is _well-loved_ , and that my brother is a General just as he has always hoped to be! _You_ cannot be my sister, she is an _innocent_ , she should not have _blood_ on her hands, she should be _riding_ or _reading_ -" "I am _not_ your sister." The girl spoke, her voice shaky.

"I am Kiku Honda's servant, his underdog, his assassinator, and so is my brother. I am nothing more than _dust_ or _ash_ to him, and even if I die, he will not mourn. " Ha Yeon knew Yao would be hoping that she lived a good life, but that was all for nothing. "I am _not_ an innocent, and I have killed, and I have been tortured. If you are searching for your sister from a few years ago, such a lass no longer exists." _Good-bye, Ha Yeon, Princess and Lady of Happiness. Hello, Ha Yeon, Ace and Dog of Hearts._

Her brother hit the floor with a _thud._ "No." But even as he said the word, he got up shakily. "No, no, no!" Yao reached out, then again took her by the shoulders. "No, please, god..." With all his might, her brother hugged her like there was no tomorrow. "Oh, Yeon-ah... What has Kiku done to you..." Fat tears trailed down her brother's face and fell on her clothes. "Older brother..."

The door opened. "What's taking so long?" Xiang stood there, but he looked horrified as he looked at one, then the other. "She's here." Yao spoke, not looking at Xiang. "Your sister has come home, she is here." " _Jiejie_?" And before she knew it, Ha Yeon felt another pair of arms around her. "You're _finally_ here." Xiang's voice was gruff, but it was also wobbly. "Welcome home, Ha Yeon." She knew she was a liar, a betraying, backstabbing assassin, but she held on to these two words; _Welcome Home_. She was back. She was accepted. And as she clung to her powerful older brother, and her tall younger brother, she cried all the tears she had never been allowed to shed all those years. _For they are the only ones who care for me._

 _I am home, I am back._

 **Author's Note: Extremely long chapter, excruciatingly painful process... I already have teen awkwardness plus hilarious love in Keeping Up with The Asians, and I have angst and fluff in China's Sharon... Which means I am at the verge of _death_. Thank you for the review, the favorite and the follow. It really warms my heart, and gives me hope to carry on. The next chapter will be a little brighter (I think Ha Yeon has been through enough misery for 4 chapters, let's give her a _short_ break!) and a little fluffy! Thanks, everyone, and I don't own the characters excepting for Ha Eung-who I bet no one remembers!**


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